The seasons are changing and it’s time to (ever so slowly) re-emerge again after winter hibernation! Thank goodness. If you’ve felt like you’ve gone in a cave, either figuratively or creatively these last few months, this episode is especially for you.
My special guest today is Carrie Contey, Ph.D. and she’s simplifying how to re-emerge after hibernation with grace. If you’ve been hit with a big, massive life change recently or maybe you’re in a creative funk and not sure how to snap out of it, Carrie shares her very best secrets that have helped her and her clients align, allow, and appreciate… so you can step into the next chapter of your life with confidence and ease.
Here’s how.
Contents
Carrie Contey simplifies how to re-emerge after hibernation.
In this episode, you will learn:
- How to handle the uncertainties of life changes, big and small and what she learned along the way through a horrific storm, caring for her aging parents, plus working & traveling as a nomad
- What it means to feel in “deep alignment with yourself” and how to do this in simple, simple ways
- What the four pillars are when navigating change:
- Clarify
- Intend
- Appreciate
- Steady
- Why it’s important to clarify how you want to feel in life and what role writing and journaling can play in your re-emergence process
- What the “7-year Project” is that Carrie is currently creating… so exciting!
Carrie is one of my favorite people on the planet, hands down. She was on the podcast previously, simplifying what conscious parenting is all about and that one is still one of our top five most downloaded episodes to date!
Carrie Contey is a visionary, a creative spark, a bright light, and just an all-around lovely human.
I hope you’ll find today’s conversation illuminating for your path of re-emergence ahead.
Time to #DoTheThing!

Carrie Contey – when the roof blew off her home!
My challenge for you this week:
How are you going to take what you’ve learned in today’s episode and consider your own re-emergence from winter hibernation this week? What’s one thing you could do to step up and out in your work? Share it with me, privately or publicly. Snap a photo of you doing the thing, and tag @thesimplifiers on Instagram for added accountability and support!
Links, books and apps mentioned:
Book: The Book of Knowing and Worth: A Channeled Text – Paul Selig
Resource: The Power of the Pause: Do vs. Be – TEDxAustin – Carrie Contey, Ph.D.
Podcast: What is conscious parenting all about?, featuring Carrie Contey, Ph.D. – The Simplifiers Podcast
Podcast: What I learned from the Big Magic workshop & Elizabeth Gilbert – The Simplifiers Podcast
Favorite quotes from this episode:
[10:11] “There were no accidents and I knew that almost as it was happening. I mean, I felt the emotion of the fear of the experience. [entire roof blown off of house] I’ve studied body, mind, psychology and I have a good foundation of people to support me. So once I cleared out the wobble of emotion that came just as a result of going through something very intense, it was like full steam ahead. And I was embracing this thing that I had said I wanted. It was like I am being led and I now will just surrender and see where that takes me.”
– Carrie
[16:26] “Whether I’m in the really deep dark of life or the exaltation of life, the same actual things apply. What I’ve come to know is… it’s my essentials. It’s my daily practices that are the things that allow me to flow with what is.”
– Carrie
[17:21] “I still need to be fortifying me with my essentials because the way I show up to [life’s] experiences has everything to do with how I’m caring for myself, not anything about what they’re doing or not doing.”
– Carrie
[22:40] “It’ll come, but you need to get out of the way and not think you have to make it happen. You have to allow it to happen and that, so my words for this year are align, allow and appreciate.”
– Carrie
[31:05] “That’s part of my bigger message is… ‘my life is my life.’ The way I’m living is so uniquely me. And I had to dial that in. And so, I’m not preaching a lifestyle. I’m not saying to people, get rid of all your stuff. I’m saying, find the things that bring you a feeling of joy and a feeling of alignment and a feeling of appreciation and a feeling of yumminess. What brings the yumminess for you?”
– Carrie
[31:35] “Recognize that that’s not something that is just for certain people. Like everybody gets the habit, but it needs to be done inward. Not, it’s not something you’re going to get by looking at Instagram and going, ‘oh, I think I want that and I want that.’ It’s like you got to get quiet and you got to have a little time inside and you got to have a little more rest and you’ve got to have a little more of a sense of like, I can have peace, I can have ease. You have to believe it before it shows up.”
– Carrie
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About Carrie Contey, Ph.D.
Carrie Contey, Ph.D. – She is an internationally recognized coach, author, speaker and educator. Her work offers a new perspective on human development, parenting and family life. She guides, supports and inspires her clients to live with wide-open and courageous hearts so they can approach family life with skill and spaciousness.
Carrie has a doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis on prenatal and perinatal psychology. She brings mastery to synthesizing and articulating the science, psychology and spirituality of humanhood.
Carrie is also the co-founder of Slow Family Living, and has appeared on NBC’s The Today Show, NPR, CBS radio and in many publications including Time, Parenting and The Boston Globe.
Where Carrie hangs out online:
Website: CarrieContey.com
Instagram: @carrieconteyphd
Carrie’s vote for the perfect guest on The Simplifiers Podcast:
Jessamyn Stanley – She is an internationally recognized yoga teacher, body positivity advocate, and author of Every Body Yoga. She is also the founder of The Underbelly, and strongly believes that you should “take up space. Do not make your self small. Strengthen from the inside out.” (YES!!)

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